Hello From Buffalo, NY

[AnnC7]

Hi my name is Ann, Im new and finding this site so helpful. I have a Canon 7D and few cool lenses. Im not a professional and need help with what I should set my camera to to take some night shots at a High School F.B Game. I was asked to take them for the Team and booster club and I am afraid the shots are going to bomb. My lens I love to use for the day games is the Canon ultrasonic 100-400mm. I also have the 70-200mm but feel I get a bit closer shot with the other. Any suggestions on setting at night/day anything. I need a field trip with an educated photographer but thats not happening. Ive tried asking for help at the local store that specializes in Canon and they were very put out by my questions. Ann

[Donald]

Hello Ann and welcome to CiC. Very glad you've decided to join.

First thing, if you wish, you can go to Edit Profile and enter your location so that it shows up alongside all your posts, just as in my details alongside this message. Then we all know where everyone is in the world.

Second thing -

Ive tried asking for help at the local store that specializes in Canon and they were very put out by my questions. Im a dumb ass i guess.

There is no such thing as a dumb question on CiC. It is a learning resource and everyone on here appreciates that everyone's got to learn. And the best way of doing that is to ask questions.

To help people answer your question, maybe you could answer a couple of mine:

• Do you shoot RAW or JPEG files?
• How do you rate your knowledge and skill in post-processing and what software do you have on your computer for post processing?
• Do you shoot in Av, Tv or Manual, or do you have the camera on Auto settings?

Once we know that we can start producing ideas and answers.

[FrankMi]

Hi Ann and welcome to CiC! Night photography typically needs long shutter speeds to capture enough light to make an image. By long shutter speeds, I mean often in the seconds to minutes range. Moving objects can become a blur if they are slow enough to be captured at all.

However, if you are at a nighttime football game there will be lighting. The question is will it be enough to allow you to capture the action? What you will be able to capture effectively will be a combination of what you already know about sports shooting technique, the ISO your camera can shoot without excessive noise and how fast your lens is.

I don't usually shoot sporting events but hopefully some of our sports shooters here will be able to provide more specific pointers for nighttime football.

[AnnC7]

Ok, Thank you Frank and Donald. Helpful. I shoot usually in C1 and after leaving the camera shop the man was able to show me TV setting on 1/125 shutter speed in Large. I used that setting for the daytime game and it was sunny. ISO was at 1200-1600 . I do not use Raw as I cannot edit due to the program being to complicated for me. It is Photo Shop 10 Elements. Im really concerned about shooting under the lights on the field. So my shutter speed needs to be reduced to what? For night under lights of a field?
Day seems to be ok.
Also I tried setting my profile picture and it wont accept it. I have a Canon 7d.

[AnnC7]

Thank you Donald. I consider my knowledge as lacking. Dont laugh but the only editing im using right now is Picassa because it is simple like me. I have Photoshop 10. I am looking for someone to come show me how to navigate through it. I rarely put my camera on Auto. Only when I hand it to someone else for a diff reason.
I shoot usually in C1 and after leaving the camera shop the man was able to show me TV setting on 1/125 shutter speed in Large. I used that setting for the daytime game and it was sunny. ISO was at 1200-1600 . I do not use Raw as I cannot edit due to the program being to complicated for me. It is Photo Shop 10 Elements. Im really concerned about shooting under the lights on the field. So my shutter speed needs to be reduced to what? For night under lights of a field?
Day seems to be ok.
Also I tried setting my profile picture and it wont accept it. I will keep trying. Thank you for your help.

[Donald]

Picassa's a fine tool for basic processing work. But Elements will certainly open up more options once you start to get to grips with things and want to develop your post processing abilities. But I think you need to master using the camera and then you can worry about getting into post-processing. And the only way to do that is study the manual and get to know it inside out. practice, practice, practice until you can operate all the camera settings with your eyes closed (I mean it).

As Frank says above, it's all going to be about of light that's available at the stadium. Unless you can get access to the stadium in the evening, with the lights on, before the first game, then I think you would have to use that to experiment and find out what the right settings are going to be. It is going to be a case of try and see for the first time, because obviously at this point in time, neither you nor we know how much light is going to be available.

How much did you get told, or have you read, about the relationship between shutter, aperture and ISO in getting the right exposure? There's good tutorial here on CiC. If you use the Tv Mode and have your ISP up at 1600, then the aperture should be set to give you good exposure.

I think 1/125s shutter speed is too slow for a sports event. You'll want the shutter set at least at 1/350 or 1/500 ... or higher.

I hope this is helping. Keep asking questions if you need to check other things out.

[AnnC7]

Donald That was so helpful. I tried to upload a few pictures to show you but It wouldn't let me again. I am getting used to the camera but it is capable of so many awesome things. I feel so unworthy. Practice is what I will do. Thanks so much

[FrankMi]

Donald That was so helpful. I tried to upload a few pictures to show you but It wouldn't let me again. I am getting used to the camera but it is capable of so many awesome things. I feel so unworthy. Practice is what I will do. Thanks so much

Yea, uploading images can be a bit tricky at first but becomes a snap once you get it. This link should help: HELP THREAD: How can I post images here?

Just follow Dave's (a) suggestions and let us know if you still are having any issues. The part that most folks seem to miss first time around is copying the link and pasting it into the post.

[AnnC7]

Like my google website? I do not have a fancy place I keep them.

[FrankMi]

Like my google website? I do not have a fancy place I keep them.

You don't need anything but your local hard drive. That's all I use with Dave's Tinypics method above. The images get copied from your hard drive to Tinypics and then you copy the link from there into your posting.

[AnnC7]

Thanks again, I was wondering if that was just an advertising thing.

[zen]

Good morning. I am in Buffalo also, shoot exclusively Canon and may be able to provide a bit of advice. Please email me directly.

[Donald]

Zen - I'm sure you understand that we would suggest that communication between members of CiC takes place via messages on the forum or via PM (Private Messages) generated from within the PM facility on the site, rather than via private e-mails.

[AnnC7]

Thank you. I am not close to being knowledgeable and understand that to someone that is really educated in this or just "gets it" that it is more work to help than its worth. I really feel that if I could understand a few things I would be off and running without getting so frusterated.
I just Donalds Post, I do not want to do anything wrong. Thanks for trying. I will keep finding the tutorials on here. Everyone is very helpful Thanks All Ann

[zen]

OK, no problem. I read that the man at the shop where this lady bought her gear was "put out" at her questions, thought that quite rude of him and simply wanted to refer her to a shop in Buffalo that sells Canon and provides mega advice to all. I have spent hours there learning new things and techniques, and I thought you would reject my naming the shop here as cheap advertising. I do not own the shop nor am I an employee, by the way. When I said private emails I was thinking the PM. My offer still stands if she is interested.

[AnnC7]

Zen, Its ok, What shop is that you are talking about? I will go there. Buffalo is wonderful this time of the year for taking pictures, isnt it?

[InspiringFotos]

Hello Ann and welcome to CIC. My name is Judy and I am from Scottsdale. AZ.

[AnnC7]

Hi Judy, Happy Friday

[zen]

Ask for Keith at Continental Camera on Transit Rd in DePew. Conti Cam is one of the last few real camera stores in town. He's there every day but Wednesday. In addition to selling cameras and gear, he is a part-time professional, has given classes, and spends as much time with folks as they need. He's good, explains things clearly and in terms the average person can understand. I too have the 100-400, and you should be able to get the night fb shots easily. Good luck.

[AnnC7]

Thanks, I will go there. I was actually there this past May. They were super busy and at that time Canon was coming to do a 1 day class at Hearthstone Manor. I was not going to be in Buffalo for it. I live right down the road from Continental so I will go there. I am going to try and take a course or two also. Finding one is the hard part. I just want a private tutor. Thats all. If anyone can help me with that, I would be all set.